A Special Exhibition for the 100th Anniversary of the Hat Reform
A Century of Women’s Hat Culture in İzmir Presented in Bornova
Bornova Municipality has opened the exhibition “Women’s Hat Culture in İzmir”, prepared with Beki Şikar’s 26-year hat collection and photographs from the Bonfil family archives, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Hat Reform. Hosted at Dramalılar Köşkü Galeri Hamam Sanat, the exhibition showcases İzmir’s multicultural hat tradition and will remain open until December 9. At the opening, speakers emphasized the role of hats in women’s social visibility and in the modernization process of the Republic.
A Special Exhibition for the 100th Anniversary of the Hat Reform
A Century of Women’s Hat Culture in İzmir Presented in Bornova
Bornova Municipality has launched a special exhibition that highlights İzmir’s multicultural women’s hat tradition in the 100th year of the Hat Reform. The exhibition, opened at Dramalılar Köşkü Galeri Hamam Sanat, features Beki Şikar’s 26-year collection, photographs from the family archives of Selim and Sarit Bonfil, and extensive historical research. It was designed based on a project that received İzmir Metropolitan Municipality’s “Respect for History – Local Conservation Award.”
Historical documents, family albums, and a 26-year collection under one roof
The exhibition brings together the historical and sociological traces of hats worn by İzmir’s women of various faiths and cultures at social gatherings. The collection and research reveal that hats were more than a fashion accessory—they reflected İzmir’s culture of coexistence, women’s presence in public life, and the modernization steps of the early Turkish Republic.
With curator Selim Bonfil’s digital photographic archive, Sarit Bonfil’s oral history studies, and fashion design specialist Dilek Himam’s analyses, the exhibition becomes a rich cultural history narrative. “Women’s Hat Culture in İzmir” will be open to visitors until December 9.
Beki Şikar: “I wanted to ensure these artworks I collected would not be lost”
Beki Şikar expressed her desire to bring her carefully curated 26-year collection to the public, adding that she hopes the exhibition inspires the nearly lost craft of millinery in İzmir once again. She highlighted the hat traditions of women from three different religions and cultures in İzmir and thanked Bornova Municipality for its support.
Selim Bonfil: “This exhibition shines a historical light on the city’s memory”
Curator Selim Bonfil stated that each piece in the collection carries the traces of İzmir’s cultural mosaic and the social presence of women. He emphasized that the exhibition serves as a tribute to Atatürk’s modernization efforts in the 100th year of the Hat Reform.
Sarit Bonfil: “Not an accessory, but a symbol of women’s bold and independent stance”
Sarit Bonfil explained that the exhibition is strengthened by visual and oral sources reflecting İzmir’s multicultural identity, noting that hats became symbols of women’s visibility in public spaces following the Republican reforms. In her message, academician Dilek Himam highlighted that hats were among the most powerful symbols of women’s evolving roles in society during the Republican period.
Tansel Ertürk: “When a woman sets her mind to something, she makes the revolution happen”
Bornova Municipal Council Deputy Chair Tansel Ertürk emphasized that the Hat Reform was one of modern Turkey’s most symbolic steps, stating, “Turkish women fulfilled their role in this revolution,” and thanked everyone who contributed to the exhibition.